Jeddah Talks: Sudan Army, RSF Agree to Protect Civilians

Officials stand for pictures after Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces signed a declaration, that signifies their commitment to protect the civilians of Sudan, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 11, 2023. Al Ekhbariya/Handout via REUTERS
Officials stand for pictures after Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces signed a declaration, that signifies their commitment to protect the civilians of Sudan, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 11, 2023. Al Ekhbariya/Handout via REUTERS
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Jeddah Talks: Sudan Army, RSF Agree to Protect Civilians

Officials stand for pictures after Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces signed a declaration, that signifies their commitment to protect the civilians of Sudan, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 11, 2023. Al Ekhbariya/Handout via REUTERS
Officials stand for pictures after Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces signed a declaration, that signifies their commitment to protect the civilians of Sudan, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 11, 2023. Al Ekhbariya/Handout via REUTERS

Representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces signed in Jeddah a declaration commitment to protect the civilians of Sudan, Saudi Arabia and the US announced in a statement on Friday.

The declaration of commitment recognizes the obligations of both sides, under international humanitarian and human rights law to facilitate humanitarian action to meet the emergency needs of civilians, it said.
The declaration of commitment will guide the conduct of the two forces to enable the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance, the restoration of essential services, the withdrawal of forces from hospitals and clinics, and the respectful burial of the dead.

Following the signing, the Jeddah Talks will focus on reaching agreement on an effective ceasefire of up to approximately ten days to facilitate these activities. The security measures will include a US-Saudi and international-supported ceasefire monitoring mechanism.
In line with the step-by-step approach agreed by the parties, the Jeddah Talks will address proposed arrangement for subsequent talks - with Sudanese civilians and regional and international partners - on a permanent cessation of hostilities.

In consultation with the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, the facilitators said they looked forward to discussions with Sudanese civilians and regional and international partners about participation in subsequent rounds of talks.



KSrelief Signs Agreements to Strengthen Education and Healthcare Sectors in Yemen

King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) signed on Wednesday a cooperation agreement to carry out the third phase of the Back to School Project in Al-Mukha district in Taiz Governorate (SPA)
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) signed on Wednesday a cooperation agreement to carry out the third phase of the Back to School Project in Al-Mukha district in Taiz Governorate (SPA)
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KSrelief Signs Agreements to Strengthen Education and Healthcare Sectors in Yemen

King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) signed on Wednesday a cooperation agreement to carry out the third phase of the Back to School Project in Al-Mukha district in Taiz Governorate (SPA)
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) signed on Wednesday a cooperation agreement to carry out the third phase of the Back to School Project in Al-Mukha district in Taiz Governorate (SPA)

King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) signed on Wednesday various agreements to promote the educational and medical sectors in several Yemeni governorates, benefiting over 13,000 individuals.
At the educational level, the Center signed a cooperation agreement with a civil society organization to carry out the third phase of the Back to School Project in Al-Mukha district in Taiz governorate, Thamud district in Hadramaut governorate, as well as in the governorates of Shabwah, Abyan, and Lahj, Yemen, benefiting some 6,000 individuals.
Assistant Supervisor General of Operations and Programs at KSrelief Engineer Ahmed Al Baiz signed the agreement on the sidelines of the International Conference on Conjoined Twins in Riyadh.
The agreement entails providing 60 fully equipped classrooms and outfitting 10 schools to create a suitable learning environment for students, and distributing 6,000 school uniforms and bags containing school supplies.
Furthermore, job opportunities will be created for low-income families (beneficiaries of previous training and empowerment projects) by having them make school bags and uniforms.
This initiative is part of the relief and humanitarian endeavors carried out by the Kingdom through KSrelief to bolster the safety and continuity of the educational process, and tackle student dropout rates in the specified regions in Yemen.

At the medical level, KSrelief and the International Wars and Disasters Victims' Protection Association (IRVD) signed a cooperation agreement to establish a prosthetic and rehabilitation center in Yemen’s Marib governorate.
This collaboration will offer physical rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities, focusing on their integration into society.
It will involve personalized treatment plans, provision of various prosthetic limbs, occupational rehabilitation services, continuous follow-up care, and the enhancement of medical and technical staff skills to handle specialized cases.
The project aims to curb the emigration of specialized personnel and is expected to benefit 7,174 individuals.
Separately, the World Health Organization (WHO) signed a €3.4 million agreement with the German government to sustain lifesaving health and nutrition services in Yemen.
According to a WHO statement, the initiative comes at a critical time: Yemen is grappling with a protracted, grade 3 emergency – the highest level of WHO health emergency response.
It said Yemen faces multiple and parallel outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), acute watery diarrhea and cholera, measles, diphtheria, malaria and dengue fever.
According to WHO, Yemen reported 204 000 suspected cases and 710 deaths between the outbreak of cholera in March 2024 and the end of September 2024.
Since the beginning of the year, 33,000 suspected measles cases have been reported, with 280 associated deaths.
By the end of 2024, it is projected that over 223,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women and more than 600,000 children will be malnourished.
Among these children, nearly 120,000 are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), a 34% increase on the previous year.